Trichy, situated on the banks of the Kaveri River, is located about 320kms southwest of Chennai (Madras) & 150 kms northeast of Madurai. The city’s tongue-twister name, Tiruchirappalli, which means "city of the three-headed demon", was derived from a fight Lord Shiva had with a three-headed demon named Trisiras. Trichy has two primary & important attractions - the Rock Fort Temple, its most famous landmark, & the massive Srirangam Temple complex.

It was the Nayak rulers of Madurai who built the town & historic Rock Fort. The fort played a vital role in the Carnatic wars of the 18th Century between British & French for supremacy over India, & according to an inscription, the fort greatly influenced the foundations of the British Empire in India. (The Carnatic region is on the east coast of south India) In fact, the Nayak rulers changed their capital from Madurai to Tiruchirapalli & back several times.

Trichy also has Srirangam, the biggest functioning Hindu temple in the world (Ankor Wat is the largest but it no longer functions as a temple). It is also the largest temple complex in all of India, & the only one with seven enclosures, a sacred symbolic number. It’s the most revered of the 108 pilgrimage shrines of Vishnu & among the most visited pilgrimage centers in India. The massive complex, a treasure house of art freezing various architectural styles over hundreds of years, is located on a small island in the Kaveri river some 6 kms north of the city. Although the temple was desecrated by the Delhi armies in 1313 & was closed for 60 years, the temple came back to life at the end of the 14th century & much of what is seen today is a result of the rebuilding & expansion activity since then. Most of the temple complex standing today was constructed between the 14th & 17th centuries.

This was a surprise - Trichy has the most number of churches/chapels in India, the most famous being Holy Redeemer's Church, Our Lady of Lourdes Church & the Cathedral. (I only saw the Lourdes church waaaaaaa). Trichy is also famous for Arcot Nawab Masjid, one of the oldest in India (missed that too waaaaaaaaa). The average literacy rate of the city (pop 21,400) is quite high at 91.45%